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My parents just bought 2 Hondas, a Fit, and CR-Z a few weeks ago. They said they were pretty happy they bought them then because apparently the plant where these 2 cars were built were pretty close to where the quake was strong.

The news said that its possible for japanese export prices to skyrocket!

Lots of prices are going to skyrocket, not just Japanese cars and pianos.

Anything with Japanese component parts will go up in price, if the item can be manufactured at all. I expect that most products with Japanese component parts will not be made at all, when the supply of parts runs out. There are a lot of items with components that are made in Japan, whether the final product is considered made in Japan or not.

The prices of cars, electronics, and computers will rise, both because of shortages of parts made in Japan, and because the prices of raw materials are going to go up.

The prices of all items not made in Japan or not including Japanese-made parts will go up, because they can.

The price of oil is going to climb, because there will be a world-wide reluctance to use alternative energy sources (nuclear power, in particular, of course).

In short, I expect all prices of everything except real estate to escalate dramatically.

And, so much for our young poster who objected when someone expressed some kind words for Japan, after the quake and tsunami. "That," he said, "has nothing to do with pianos."

He took it back, after thirty or so other members corrected him, admitting it was insensitive.

But it does have something to do with pianos, and many other things. It had not occurred to me to think in terms of radioactive pianos. The news stories have mentioned field crops and milk, and after all, these were known before now to be at greater risk of physical exposure and biological uptake of radioisotopes. An especially tough break now, when there's such a shortage of food there.

I did wonder about those news stores that said, "It's ok--- the radioactive smoke is being blown out to sea (unless the wind changes direction) and washed away by seawater being pumped onto the reactors." I think maybe the Japanese know better; so much of their food comes from the ocean, and so much of their trade crosses it. In Brown's Ferry, Tennessee, there is a bank of very similar reactors sited right on the Tennessee River--- which, if I'm not mistaken, flows into the Mississippi River. We would be in a fine fix if someday we were facing the same bad options as the Japanese.

My impression is not that we'll be looking at radiation-contaminated pianos, but that so much of the infrastructure has been badly damaged: ports, electric grids, roads, places of work; not to mention all the people who were killed outright, and not to mention the very deep shock the people there must feel.

As the previous poster pointed out, we will all be affected by the injuries that have come to this valuable member of the world community--- probably in ways we have no way of guessing.

The reactors in the plant in question are standing still on the ground. They are too massive to fly in the sky and will never fallout. According to the authorities, the fallouts currently observed far from the plant are probably came from the fuel store, but not from the reactors. Radiations from the fallout on my house garden in Tokyo, 150miles from the plant, by my measurements using an AN/PDR-63 Radiac Set(not capable of detecting alpha particles), were far less than 0.025mRad/h(equivalent to 0.25µSv/h as of yesterday.

I would suggest you to wash or boil the pianos or the cars in the water before you would eat or swallow them.

What happened is a tragedy for Japan and the Japanese. It will inevitably have a huge impact on the rest of the world as well. Personally, I believe that it is possible that radioactivity in pianos will be the least of our worries. . . .

Indeed. However, the Japanese are a very strong, resilient people and I believe that Japan will regain its economic super-power status. The Yamaha and Kawai factories were undamaged and no doubt their diligent, dedicated workforce will be endeavouring to produce better pianos than ever as the country works its way out of this devastating human and economic catastrophe.

The only radioactive pianos I am aware of were some cheap exports from China that had been made from radioactive scrap iron that unscrupulous Chinese traders had bought for disposal but sold instead. Similar to the Chinese baby milk formula, pet food, shrimp for human consumption businesses, etc. etc. etc. where poisons are being sold and the welfare of consumers is seen as being subordinate to making money any way possible.

The impact on many consumer items from Japan will come from the fact that the plastics business is so concentrated in Japan. Plastics shortages will effect just about everything.

I would suggest you to wash or boil the pianos or the cars in the water before you would eat or swallow them.

Brilliant comment! That made me laugh out loud.

Yes, I would not be worried on any non edible product coming from Japan, they will be perfectly fine. Having a piano whose keys would glow in the dark could be funny (and without wires!), but that is not going to happen. Does not work that way. Concern is on edible products, but everything else is just as fine as ever. The nuclear accident is very serious but there is no need to overreact.

By the way, if someone receives a gorgeous japanese piano and suspects it could be radioactive, please, send it to me...

Edit, the above assert also can be applied to cars, computers or any expensive gear...

Edited by kurtie (03/23/1104:59 AM)Edit Reason: Adding more nonsense to the post

For goodness sake, the nuclear power plant issue in Japan is, in the context of the huge disaster of the earthquake and tsunami, not the biggest problem.

Radiation levels are lower in Tokyo than background in any granite buildings. There are some short-lived isotopes (radio-iodine has a half-life of 8 days, most of the rest of the radioactive particles have half-lives of minutes)coming from the nuclear plants, but the international press seems intent on focusing on the nuclear issue above the real tragedy of the situation.

Piano prices (like all prices) will be hurt by damage to supply chains and the economic cost of rebuilding. If any country uses unsubstantiated radiation concerns to put in place trade restrictions on Japan they should be deeply ashamed. If any individual holds back from buying Japanese products for the same reason they should get an education.

For goodness sake, the nuclear power plant issue in Japan is, in the context of the huge disaster of the earthquake and tsunami, not the biggest problem.

Radiation levels are lower in Tokyo than background in any granite buildings. There are some short-lived isotopes (radio-iodine has a half-life of 8 days, most of the rest of the radioactive particles have half-lives of minutes)coming from the nuclear plants, but the international press seems intent on focusing on the nuclear issue above the real tragedy of the situation.

Piano prices (like all prices) will be hurt by damage to supply chains and the economic cost of rebuilding. If any country uses unsubstantiated radiation concerns to put in place trade restrictions on Japan they should be deeply ashamed. If any individual holds back from buying Japanese products for the same reason they should get an education.

I talked to my cousin who has been living in Japan for over 30 years. He told me things are pretty bad regardless what you see on TV, multiply it by 100x. He lives in Tokyo, about 200 miles from the main strike point. He is a business man and told me, As far as export and import, it will only get worst before it gets better. The company he works for is already losing money, and might have to let some people go, or extend pay cuts. He also feels Japan as a whole in later months will have increased taxes, pay cuts, etc...which will affect everything they build, import & export. It's HUGE!!!

I think some of the economic analysis we are seeing her about Japan (price "skyrocketing") is probably materially wrong. We must remember that we are dealing with a global economy. If japan simply increases prices the effect, in a short period of time, will be to drive demand away to other economies.

My wife sources a lot of electronic and technical material globally (she is a supply chain director in a US business) and she can shift sourcing from Japan to other parts of the world quite easily, the biggest short term impediment being tooling costs.

The Japanese are resilient and resourceful. They will get their act together pretty quickly in my view.

Take a look at the investment market. Some serious western investors are actively stalking Japanese industry to pick up bargains. Many players have a far more positive view of Japans future than some people here.